Larry,

After a lot of experimentation I've come to use a customized version of VIVIDRGB (Disjecta) preset. So far it's been working for me. Here's an example:

Limo 1, LLC Promo, Time: 60 Seconds on Vimeo

Tony S.

Tony
That's a well done video. The preset is close to what the default setting the Sony cameras use. More saturated and higher contrast than what my eyes perceive.
I like the look and usually go that direction in post.
Your preset didn't hide those great Canon brown tones in the bar.

Don,

Thanks for the kind words. It's been more of trial an error thing until one day - pow! I've got several versions for different things. That's the cool thing about these presets you can "make" your XH-A1 to match pretty much anything - some say even a RED. Very little color grading in post since I've already shot the initial test shots to my liking. I also like the way the brown is represented in the bar shot.

Thanks again for watching.

Tony S.

My tuppence-worth is that when shooting the whole feel of what one's doing is affected by what you see whilst doing it, so getting the image to look right at the time is important. Doesn't matter what you do in post - getting the right shots is everything. That's why the flexibility of the presets is so great on the XH-A1. Also, there's something about relying on huge amounts of CC in post that makes the whole process even more artificial and somehow 'false' than it inevitably is already. Just my opinion. It's one of those things that is really personal, though all this technical talk about needing a flat image to get the best result whilst processing in post seems to be missing the whole point to me and is over-exaggerated in importance.

Presets
 

If a videographer is careful, uses correct white balance, exposure etc there will not be "huge amounts of CC in post." If on the other hand you use a preset and find in post that it really isn't what you wanted......there's a lot more CC to deal with to get it back where you want it.

But to each his own. I just find presets to be something I don't like to use. If you are happy with your results using presets great. For me, they just don't give me what I want.

ummm... isn't the XHA1 stock setting a 'preset'?

That's a very interesting point Brian. Aren't all cameras working from some kind of preset no matter what 'mode' they are in? It's not like one can point a camera at something and expect that by using no presets we are getting anything like 'reality' (whatever that is).

PRetty nice
 

Tony,
Very nice clip.